MARTYN MADDEN'S sponsor yesterday spoke of what he says are the real reasons behind the Welsh international's decision to quit Llanelli Scarlets.

Mike Cuddihy has claimed Madden was fined &#xA3;4,000 for missing training while he insisted he was still injured - and insisted that had been the final straw for the prop forward who parted company with the club earlier this week.

Madden has rubbished claims he refused to travel to Wrexham with the squad for Saturday's Celtic League game against Borders but preferred to keep his reasons for leaving to himself.

But Cuddihy maintains Madden's dramatic departure from Stradey Park had nothing to do with a lack of commitment as Llanelli claimed in a statement.

He said, "Llanelli have questioned Martyn's commitment but I can say that he is 150 per cent loyal to the players, supporters and sponsors there, including myself. I was outraged by the comments on Llanelli's website. Over the past 12 months, Llanelli have said that Martyn has had a groin injury. In reality he needed hernia surgery at Harley Street.

"The surgeons at Harley Street looked at a video of him playing before, during and after the injury and could see straight away what Martyn's problem was. The doctors wrote to Llanelli after the surgery to explain that another couple of games going on like that could have been the end of Martyn's career.

"As well as all that, he needed knee surgery as well but he was fined the best part of &#xA3;4,000 for not attending training when there was no way he could have gone as he was in agony."

Madden is determined to look forward though and is desperate to get back to playing.

He said, "My main concern is to put that jersey back on. I need to get back playing, get myself on the market and show people what they're missing.

"My phone hasn't stopped ringing with offers but I've said I'm not ready yet. I think it's 90 per cent that I will remain in Wales and I would consider Cardiff. They're a great club, my home town, and a lot of people would like to see me back there. But I'm prepared to travel and I might join an English or a French club."